Compost turning machine



Filed June 14, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Attorneys Sept. l2, 1950 G. J. coRDlvANo coMPosT TURNING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 14, 1946 z'v'a n o Attorneys Sept 12., 1950 G. J. coRDlvANo 2,521,832l

coNPosT TURNING MACHINE Filed June 14, 1946 3 Sl'leebS--Sheefri 3 I m'eutor aycQ/z' Vano,

Attorneys Patented Sept. 12?, 1950 :.f.

uNrrED `CMPOST TURNING MACHINE Guy J. Cordivano, Kennett Square, Pa. Application June 14, 1946, Serial No. 676,798 2 claims. (ci. 21a-:44)v

The present invention relates to compost manipulating machines and more `particularly to a machine for turning, aerating and rebuilding composts, which is necessary in order to properly cure the compost material, this being especially desirable in connection with the raising of mushrooms.

l An important orb-ject of the invention is to 4provide an apparatus adapted to bite into a compost pile, lift a quantity of the material to an elevator from where it is discharged onto a rapidly rotating cylinder, which breaks up the compost material, at the same time aerating the same in the course of building up another compost pile.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine for moving the material of compost piles, in the course of which removal, the material is thoroughly broken up and aerated.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a machine of the character stated which While being positive acting and substantially foolproof in all respects, is of simple construction and nottoo costly to manufacture for retail to small operators in the mushroom business and in fact in other lines where compost material is a necessity.

, A further object of the invention is to provide a machine of the character stated which will operate rapidly and save considerable time and expense, that is at present required, in properly breaking up and aerating compost.

These and Various other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent to the reader of the following description.

, the drawings: Figure 1` is a side elevational View of the machine, mounted on a wheeled carriage;

Figure 2 is a side elevational View of the machine with parts in section and fragmentary showing the boom;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary top plan view of the boom and claw fork;

Figure 4 is a cross sectional view taken on line v4 4 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a cross sectional View through the elevator taken online 5 5 of Figure 1;

Figure 6 is a diagrammatic View showing the hydraulic means for both the claw fork and boom.

Referring to the drawings, numeral 5 generally refers to a boom, which elevates or lowers a claw fork .generally referred to by numeral 6. An elevator generally referred'to by numeral 1 is also used in conjunction with the boom and fork, as is a rotary drum 8, and the details of these items will now be specifically set forth.

I The lboom 5 includes n a pair of elongated steel fabricated arms 9, each of which has its inner end suitably secured as at I0 toa corresponding end of a` crank shaft I I which is journaled through bearings I2 supported by horizontal beams I3 in anrupstanding frame I4, supported on the chassis I5 of a wheeled carriage I6, which may be motor driven vor pulled by a tractor.

` The outer ends of the boom arms 9 (see Figure 3) have openings or bearings into which the ends of a bar I1 project and to which the arms are secured.

The claw fork 6 is swingable on this bar I1 and includesarmsy I8, which diverge downwardly, as

in the manner shown in Figure 1. A hydraulic cylinder I9 has an apertured ear 20 at its'upper end for receiving the bar I1, while theplunger therein has an extension, attached as at20 to an underlying bar 2l, the latter bar extending through arcuate slots 22 in arms 23 which extend inwardly to overlapping -position from tine assemblies or forks 24, these forks 24' each having .back bar a and tines bi. These forks are swingably mounted between the lower ends of the arms I8. Thus it can be seen that when the piston .in the cylinder I9 is forced down- Ward1y,'the arms 23 will be urged downwardly, swinging the forks 24 outwardly to open position as; shown in dotted lines in Figure 1. Y :The upper portion of the frame I4 (see Figure 2) 4has/,an inwardly projecting structure 25 to which the upper end of a second hydraulic cylinder 26 is pivoted, this cylinder having a piston 21 therein, from which a rod 28 extends to pass through the open end of the cylinder and connected by a bearing 29 to the crank portion 30 .of thefcrank shaft I I, this shaft having the booms 9,5 connected to the ends thereof. Obviously, operation of ythe hydraulic cylinder 26 will result in the elevating and lowering of the boom assem- 10,1515.` f

Frame-members 3l project rearwardly from the .frame I4 adjacent the upper portion thereof and are braced by inclined members 32.

...Qnthe frame members 3| are bearings 33 through which a shaft 34 is disposed, and to this shaft, and rotating between the frame members 3l, is a drumi, having a plurality of longitudinally extending and outstanding cleats 36 suit'- ably secured thereto. One end of the shaft 34 carries a sprocket wheel 31 over which a sprocket chain 38 is trained, and this chain also extends over a larger sprocket wheel 39 located on a shaft 40.

The elevator 1 is mounted within side walls 4I and includes the upper shaft 40 and a lower shaft 42, on each of which are sprocket Wheels 43 over which conveyor chains 44 are trained, these chains being bridged by upstanding cleats or carrier bars 45 for carrying material upwardly and out through the upper end of a hopper 46, to drop onto the drum 8. The hopper 46 has its lower end built up by wider wall 41, to afford depth in which a considerable quantity of the compost material; can. repose as itv is'being fed up from underneath, to the discharge end of the elevator. 46 is closed.

As is shown in Figure 6, a valvular control 48 is provided for the fork 6, and a valvular controly 49 is provided for the boom 5, each of these controls has a handle. A pump-supplieshydraulic pressure by way of a conduit L tothe controls 48, 49. The hydraulic cylinders I9 and 2G, for the fork 5 and boom 9, respectively, have pipe connections 52, 53' for each, and there is a return pipe fromY each ofthe control-valves 48, 53; denoted; by numeraflgilitoV the pumpY 50:

Itv can now be seen, inthe operation of the machine, that: the apparatus isdriven adjacent to a pile ofA compost where the'forlcY G, cancon'- veniently reach the material. By now manipulating the control 49; the boom 8 can be lowered rapidly (andthis with the forky G in open position) so as to drive the tines off the fork into the compost'material. By Ynow actuating thecontroi d3, the fork is closedaround a load'ofimaterial. The control 49 is now actuated, charging the cylinder 2G with-hydraulic pressure, which 0f course the lower end of the hopperresults in the rotationof: the crankshaft ll'and the-liting'of the-boom and claw forkto-the ele- Y vated position, shown by dottedlines-in Figure 1; The control 43:; for the cylinder I9 isnow actuated for the purpose of-"openin-g the-forkstruc'- ture E', with theresult-that the'load is dumped into the hopper liti. Inasmuch as the'elevator fl material Yis struckY with Aconsiderable force by the cleats breaking the materialand incidentally aerating the same asA itA is thrown through the air in the act of forming another compost pile.

The boom isagain lowered'to secure another load-andl elevated to the dotted-'line position as shown in Figurely and* thisv can be4 continued almost as rapidly astheboom can be' actuated, linasmuch as; the elevator 7' will'remove-the mate'- 'rial izo-the cylinder v8- dui-te` rapidly:`

When l all ofV the compost material within range ofthe fork- 6- has been secured, the machinercan bemanipulatedto a point where' theforlcwiil again bev within range ofY the material to:l be lifted, aerated a-ndvrepiled` Obviously, the apparatus can be mounteddie rectly-on a tractor; so' that'the resetting of` the machine can be done quickly atasavingin time and labor,

Itis also .apparentV thai-,the parts ofY the` appara-tusf arereadily accessible and"capable of being reachedV at all times for,k the purpose" of lubricating, repairsfor replacements;

While the foregoing description sets forth the invention in specific terms, it is to be understood that numerous changes in the shape, size and materials may be resorted to Without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed hereinafter.

Having described the invention what is claimed as new ist. K 1. In a; compost distributing, machine, a portable frame, a crank shaft rotatably mounted and extending longitudinally of the frame and having a crank intermediate its length, a boom having side bars secured at inner ends to said crank shaft. and having vertical swinging movement from a'horizontally extending lowered position to a raised: position over the frame, a supporting rodextending between and carried by outer ends of' the side bars, a claw-fork pivotally suspended from said rod between the side bars and having jaws pivotally mounted for swinging7 movement ironia closed positionto-an opened position, operating arms for thejaws extending toward each other, a cylinder suspended-from said rodi afr piston operating' in the cylinder and connected with the arms of' the jawsiorswinging the'jawsltb the opened position when the piston is moved downwardly in the cylinder, av second.vr cylinder mounted verticallyin said frame above the crank shaft, and a piston operating in the secondlcyllntder) andhavin'g its piston rod projecting from the lower end thereof and connected` witlithef crank of the crankshaft for rotating the=said`l crank shaftV and swinging-- the boom and the fork: upwardly to av-raisedlposition. A

2. Ina coinpost'distributing machine; a port.- ableframe, a crank. shaft extending longitudiinally ofthe -frarne' and `rotatably mounted, aboom having side barsrsecure'd at' inner' ends to the crank shaft, a` fork mountedibetween the:v outer ends ofisaid side bars, af cylinder in'saidfreime mounted above the` crank shaftl andr extending downwardly at an incline toward the) crankl of the crank shaft, and aA pistonoperatingl in said cylinder andhaving. its piston rod proj ectingirom the bottom of the cylinder and connected with the crank` ofthe crank` shaftrforimpartingrotary motion'to the crank shaftandswinging the boom upwardly to aV` vertical position over` theframe whenthe piston is moved downwardly inthe Cylinder.

GUY'J. CORDIVANO.

REFERENCES (ZIIIED.I

The following references. are'- ofr record: in" the l'e ofA` thisY patent: Y

UNITED;` STATES, PATENTS Number Name'v Date'- 564,038 Urie Jdlyfl'llg 1896 160,632? Manleyv Nov. 16'; 1915 1,444,829 Castillo Febr 1351923 1,443,735 Frenchil Mar; 20,' 1923 1,525,634 Bell Fidl'; 1925 221962649' lllaite Apr;"91'940 

